“It was sad. His grandmother died and left him all alone. He lived in that house for a year, going to school and taking care ofhimself, before anyone figured it out. That poor baby was only fourteen.”
We walked to the registration desk to make my next appointment and to check out. “Hey, baby, let me take this call real quick. This is about a case I’ve been working on.”
“Okay,” I replied, accepting the kiss on the lips that Deuce gave me before he stepped away a few paces.
“Last name?” the registrar asked when I stepped up to the desk.
“Shields.” I had considered changing my name back to my maiden name, but Deuce said it was pointless. I would be taking his name soon enough anyway.
“Okay, Ms. Shields, Dr. Carter would like to see you back in four weeks. Would you prefer a morning or afternoon?”
“It doesn’t matter.”
“Okay.”
She lowered her head again to check her computer just as I heard a voice that sounded annoyingly familiar to me. My heart squeezed tightly in my chest, and my belly constricted with discomfort. God, please no. Don’t let that be her.
“Sevyn? I thought that was you.”
I looked to my right and saw the perfectly coiffed, black Barbie. Pandora was at the checkout desk beside me. She held a baby boy in her arms, and though I scoured his face, I didn’t see any similarities between him and my late husband, Ethan.
I turned back to the registrar as she gave me the date and time for my next appointment. I accepted the appointment card.
“Have a great day,” I stated to the woman, although I felt anything but great. I glanced around to see that Deuce was in the main lobby, still on the phone but waiting for me.
I walked through the door to Deuce, and we stepped out of the building. He was still on his call, but he grabbed my hand. Iheard Pandora calling after me. I slowed up and turned around to see what she wanted.
She held the baby in her arms and walked toward me smiling, like we were old friends. There was a man walking beside her, and he was holding her free hand.
I decided to take the high road and not curse her ass out just as Deuce took a few steps away to wrap up his call.
“Your baby is so cute, Pandora. What’s his name?” I asked, deciding to be cordial. The baby was a cutie pie, I couldn’t deny that, but he didn’t look like my late husband or Pandora.
“Jalen.”
I nodded and replied, “Ethan would have been proud of the little guy. I’m so sorry that he doesn’t have his father in his life.”
“He’s got his father,” the man spoke up harshly, taking Jalen from Pandora’s arms as Deuce joined us again. Deuce didn’t utter a word. He stood behind me with his hand on my shoulder protectively, possessively.
I glanced at the man and then at Pandora who was beaming brightly. “Well, I had a DNA test done and found out that the baby wasn’t Ethan’s after all, but he belongs to my boyfriend, Rex,” Pandora explained.
“I don’t understand. I thought that you were?—”
“Oh, I was seeing Ethan and Rex at the same time. Rex and I were new and still seeing other people back then. But we’re expecting another little one now,” she stated, proudly rubbing her belly. Then she placed her hand on the man’s shoulder, smiled, shrugged, and declared, “I’m sorry for the misunderstanding. But my condolences onyourloss.”
I had released Ethan, true, but her revelation hurt no less. She had caused so much devastation and pain in our lives. Even if Ethan and I hadn’t made it and had divorced, he might possibly still be alive.
The night of the accident, we had been arguing about her trifling ass. If she had gone about her business and left us alone, that man very well could still be here. I shook my head. “You’re nothing but a whore with no morals. I feel so sad for you and for your babies. Maybe you’ll grow up and learn what true love and sacrifice are about one day.”
I walked away from them with Deuce beside me holding my hand and giving it a little squeeze. Once we were back in the car, he turned to me and caressed my face.
“I get it, that hurt you. But I’m not about to let you sit back and stew in the recriminations of that accident being your fault. If it was God’s will for Ethan to come home, He would have called him no matter how it had to happen. There’s nothing that could have changed that outcome. So, please don’t beat yourself up, baby, over that girl’s lack of discretion and heartless behavior. You are abundantly blessed and will continue to be so, as long as you stay humble and walk in righteousness.”
I nodded and smiled at him. Deuce was so patient, understanding, loving, and kind. I was grateful to have him in my life. “Thank you, baby. You always know the right thing to say at the right time, because I was definitely getting in my head.”
“It’s all good. But there’s been something on my mind that I wanted to talk to you about. I’m not feeling you being all alone on your own, Sevyn, in that hotel, especially while you’re pregnant. I want you to come home, baby.”
“Okay,” I replied softly.
